The Gift
by PrincessSarayliaRox12
Summary: bella is living with her mom in phoenix. she is the school nerd and has little true friends. but when a mysterious necklace shows up at her house, her life is catapulted into action. a cool new friend, popularity...until she's running for her life.no vamp
1. Prologue: A Gift

Prologue: A Gift

I slumped down on the couch, too lazy to take any care in actually sitting correctly. I gazed at the T.V, not seeing any of the images flashing by. I heard laughter in the background, but had no idea what had just happened. My life was so boring! Nothing ever happened to me! But that was never going to change, so I why was I wasting my time thinking about it?

I had never even been invited to a real party. Sure, those crappy get-togethers and kick but study parties, but never a real party. Never a party that was even remotely fun. But I guess that's what I get for being the school nerd…which would probably explain the whole nothing ever happening to me thing.

Behind me I heard sounds of clashing metal and feet stomping through the house—my mother making dinner and the little neighbor boy we were babysitting. I tuned them out so I could get back to my sulking. If I could just go to one good party, my life would be complete. Well, not really, but still.

"Bella! Dinner's ready!" My mom called to me from the kitchen, her voice faint over the neighbor's rowdiness. What was his name again? Oh well, it's not like it matters or anything.

"Coming!" I called back, trying to hide my true emotions. There was no need to get parents involved in this. Everybody knows their little cheer up speeches do nothing but annoy you.

I shoved my hands into the couch in an attempt to hoist myself up, put the cushy pillows only deflated beneath my palms, making my hands slip back and thus making me fall on my back. Right back where I started. I sighed in defeat and sat up, breaking my impressive chain of lazy actions.

As I got to my feet, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it mom, I'm already up." Well, why stop now with the whole not being lazy thing—my chain was already broken after all.

"Thanks honey." my mom said politely.

I walked up to the door, my blue converse sinking slightly into our thick brown carpet. I swung the door open, but saw nobody. Not even a car or a distant black silhouette. I stepped out of the house, confused, and looked around the sides of the house. Nothing. It was when I was walking back to the house that I found the source of the doorbell…you know, after I tripped on it and almost fell face first to the ground.

A small brown cardboard box lay on our doormat. The mailman must have dropped it off or something. I picked it up delicately with my fingertips and carried it back into the house, where I could see who it was addressed to.

"Who was it honey?" my mom asked as I walked in.

"Nobody, mailman I think. Left a box." I said looking at the address.

"Who's it for?" she asked. "I haven't ordered anything recently."

I stared down at the box, confused. It was for me, but I hadn't bought something online or anything lately. And it definitely wasn't from a faraway friend—had none of those. "Me."

"Whose it from?"

"I don't know. There's no return address."

"That's odd. What is it?"

I did my best to rip open the innocent package, but ended up using my house key to slice the tape. I unfolded the top flaps to see what the package held. What I saw was a delicate necklace with a gold chain and an emerald stone set in gold. My face reflected off the smooth stone.

"A necklace." I answered as I cautiously dipped my hand in to remove it from the box. As I snagged it up, a white slip caught my eye. I set down the beautiful jewelry on the couch to grab the note that lay within. I unfolded it and read:

_Who I am matters not. What matters is you keep this necklace and guard it with your life. Don't ask why, you won't get an answer. After all, you don't even know who I am. Where it around your neck and __**no where else**__. Do not let anybody even so much as hold it. Also, DO NOT TELL ANYBODY any details about where or who you got it from. Shred this letter as soon as you understand it. Good luck. I really hope I don't see you soon._

I folded the letter and put it in my pocket when I heard my mom approaching. Carefully, I picked up the necklace and admired its beauty. My mom walked up beside me in the living room, drying her hands on a towel. She put the towel in her back pocket and her hands on her hips.

"That's beautiful," she made a move to grab it, but I remembered the note. I had no idea if it was phony or not, but something was finally happening to me, even if it was a prank. I put it back in the box and said, "I don't know. I don't think I should keep it. It doesn't seem right that anybody would give this to me."

"Normally I would agree with you honey, but there's no return address. We can't return it."

"Hmm…I'm going to my room to put it in a safe place. I'll be down for dinner soon." I said in an attempt to get it far from those who wanted to touch…like most people do…

"Alright." My mom said, proud I was being responsible, I think.

I trudged up my stairs with the box in my left hand, being careful not to jerk it too much. I wasn't sure if it was fragile or not. I opened the door to my room and did a quick 360 to see if there were any good hiding places. Well, in the corner of my closet under a thousand pounds of loose clothing would have to do for now. I tucked it away and stomped back down the stairs, thoughtful.

But whatever the mystery behind the necklace was would have to wait—I had pasta to eat and a mother to fool about it.


	2. Chapter 1: News

**(A/N: sorry, i know its choppy. its my first real fanfiction so bear with me.)**

* * *

Chapter 1: News

I walked to school, holding the strap of my book bag to my shoulder. One of these days I would have to start saving up money to buy myself a car. Walking was beginning to get on my nerves. I turned the corner and came to South Mountain High School.

As soon as I was on campus, my only true friend Sammy came into step beside me, her shoes making a soft pat-pat on the cement. "Hey Bella, what did you get for number forty-five on the calculus assignment?" she started.

"Um, hang on. Let me check." I got out my homework and answered, "Radical 3 over pi."

"Hmm, yeah, that's what I thought too, but I wasn't completely sure, you know? Mr. Decker is really starting to get on my nerves with all the homework he's giving out! Now don't get me wrong, I love math as much as the next person, but it's like, jeez! Can't you give a girl a break?" Sammy was a talker, always was, always will be.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." I replied, though I had no objections to the surplus homework. I enjoyed having something to keep my mind off my miserable excuse for a life.

"Wow, Bella! Where did you get that?!" she exclaimed, pointing her index finger to my new necklace.

My hand involuntarily went up to my collar bone and over the emerald stone, hiding the necklace from anyone's sight. Suddenly, I was very nervous, though I had no reason to be. This necklace hadn't done anything of the mystical sort yet.

"Um, an old friend gave it to me." I lied, looking at my feet in an attempt to hide my revealing face.

"Oh, you're such a liar Bella. Just tell me where you got it. It's not that big a deal." Sammy said.

"Honestly, I don't know Sammy. It just kind of appeared in my house. I just sort of found it." I tried to make a decent half truth. I found random junk at my house all the time. It was a believable excuse. I didn't have to tell her, that it just appeared at my house's doorstep, or that by finding it I meant tripping over it. She didn't have to know…according to the letter.

"That's cool." she said. My mouth gaped open in surprise. "What?" Sammy asked, confused by the shocked expression I wore.

"Wow, Sammy. I think that was the shortest thing you've ever said." I explained. This was a great way to get away from the topic of the necklace.

She laughed. "Come on Bella, let's get to class." she said happily as the bell for first period rang.

The day at school continued on as any other. A few people noticed my necklace, but I only got some pointing fingers. I was viciously known as the school nerd and therefore, nobody associated with me. But for once, I was glad for my label, it saved me from more lying and half truths.

The school day eventually came to a close and I walked home, one hand over my necklace as I wondered what it was and why I had gotten it. I came to our door and grabbed the house key from my back pocket.

I opened the door to my home, wiped my sneakers off on our welcome mat, and then stepped onto the soft carpet.

"Mom, I'm home!" I called out as I dumped my bag in the corner by the door. It made a quiet thump, now that it had lost some weight to my locker.

"Good! Oh, honey! I have some excellent news!" she exclaimed jubilantly.

"What is it mom?" I asked, a bit uncaring. Renee's idea of excellent news was that her favorite character ended up married to her second favorite character.

"Phil proposed and we're getting married!" she trilled.

"What?!" I yelled, caught off guard.

"We're getting married! Oh Bella, you'll love it. We'll get to travel so much because of Phil's job! You'll love Florida! It's hot and—"

I cut her off, "Mom! I don't want to travel all the time." I tried to speak softly, so as not to offend her, "I want to be able to stay in one place with all my friends." By all my friends, I meant Sammy.

"But honey." My mom almost whispered.

"Mom I'm so happy for you. Words can't even describe it. But I don't want to be nomadic."

"Honey it won't be like that. We'll all be together, so you won't ever be lonely and—"

"Mom. Please. Don't make me go. Or at least promise me we can stay in one place."

"Honey you know I can't promise you that. And you certainly won't be able to live in Phoenix by yourself." She tried to suck me in with reason and logic. Well I was a straight A student and I could use reason and logic for myself.

"Mom, please. Let me stay with Charlie or something. He's got just as much guardianship ability as you. And I'm his kid too mom. Please."

My mom stared at me blankly. "Charlie, Bella. Really? But it's so cold in Forks. You'll hate it." She argued, which was kind of weird because usually the kids are supposed to be the arguers.

"It won't be so bad mom. I'm sure I'll get used to it." I said.

"Bella, things are more easily said then done. I'm not so sure that you would like Forks." It pained me to see my mom so sad that I was choosing Charlie over her.

"Mom, I'm not choosing favorites over you and Charlie, you know."

"I know, honey. I'm just trying to give you all the details so you'll make the right decision." She sounded heartbroken, which ya know, she probably was.

And suddenly I was overwhelmed with sympathy for my mom. How could I be making her so sad? "I'll compromise then, mom. You let me go to Forks to stay with Charlie, if it's all right with him and if I think it's too cold or uncomfortable, I'll come back with you. I'll travel with you and Phil and won't complain."

Renee took her stare from her feet to my face and said despondently, "Are you sure this is what you want?"

"Absolutely." I said simply.

Renee turned her watery eyes back to her feet and said as she was turning from me to the phone in the kitchen, "I'll see what I can do." I felt so bad. I had never seen Renee so sad. And it was my fault. I ran to my room and drowned away all my senses and feelings in blaring music.


End file.
